A Different Kind of Duty
by stironniganisreal
Summary: "She'd long lost track of time, ever since she'd been released from the war council and arrived back home with Nisha. It had only taken a few vague communications with Blake to realise just how badly her boyfriend needed her" - Jeera James had never been good at comforting people. But when tragedy strikes the Ronnigan family, she sucks it up and does what's right.


**This is just sad. Not one, but TWO new stories in one day?!**

 **Wow. Oh wow. *shakes head* Tbh I can't believe I actually achieved that.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Medoran Chronicles.**

It was possibly the longest she'd known her boyfriend to go without making a single decibel of sound; he'd been impossibly still, impossibly silent for hours, the minutes drawing out excruciatingly bit by bit. Even before they'd been dating, she'd always known Blake to constantly exude a charismatic, enthusiastic energy. But now … in the quiet stillness in the dead of the night, his grief curling around them like the tentacles of an octopus … it was utterly unbearable.

Jeera released a slow, careful breath, opening her eyes and flicking her gaze around the despondent shadows of his tiny apartment. She'd long lost track of time, ever since she'd been released from the war council and arrived back home with Nisha. It had only taken a few vague communications with Blake to realise just how badly her boyfriend needed her, so she'd showered, forced down some food, and told her aunt where she would be going, before heading off once more.

Despite the bone-deep exhaustion quivering through her, she'd determinedly kept herself awake, snuggled up beside Blake and trying to offer the comfort that he definitely needed. She knew from personal experience what it was like to lose a parent - but in entirely different circumstances. And not only had Jeera known Blake's dad, she'd been colleagues with him - a colleague who she'd seen die on the battlefield.

She shuddered at the memory, nausea entering the back her throat and the scene invading her mind. But she quickly pushed it away, before she could start crying herself. Jeera shifted her leg, trying to stretch out her stiff muscles. For hours they'd lain on his squashy leather couch, him practically lying on top of her, with his head nestled just between her chin and collarbone, an arm thrown around her waist. He hadn't cried nor slept, simply lying there with his eyes shut, the occasional quiver of his brows indicating his warring mind.

Jeera threaded her fingers loosely through the hair at the base of his neck, smoothing out the rough locks. Her fingers travelled upwards, moving comfortingly across his hand, before she shifted her hand around and trailed her fingers down the side of his face, the pads of her fingers sliding across his brow and cheeks and jawline, before furthering down his neck. She continued the tracing, across the planes of lean, hard muscle in his shoulder, back and side, before finally resting her hand back on his waist. Throughout the process, she was barely able to elicit a reaction from him - but he managed a soft murmur of her name and the tighten of the arm around her.

She wasn't good at this stuff. She'd been dating guys ever since she was about fifteen, but almost every breakup had been because she'd refused to properly open up. Blake knew a bit more than any of her previous exes, having been friends with him ever since about that same age, but she'd never brought herself to tell him the full story about her parents and the Sarinpox outbreak. Basically, she sucked at comforting and opening up. She was beyond comfortable with the physical and social element of a relationship … not so much the emotional side of it.

Just as the exhaustion from the past fourty-eight hours was about to catch up with her, Blake finally moved, untangling himself from her and pushing off the couch. He didn't even look at her as he got to his feet and shuffled in the direction of his charging ComTCD.

"Blake," she said quietly, hastily moving after him.

It was almost like he was giving her the silent treatment, or perhaps in a trance, as he unplugged his device. "I've got to go to Woodhaven. I'll talk to you later."

Jeera shook her head adamantly. "I'm staying with you."

"You look dead on your feet." _How the hell have you managed to conclude that, when you've barely spared me a glance?_ "Go home. Get some shut-eye. I promise, I'll talk to you as soon as I can."

"I'm fine." After all, she could prop herself up with a Warden-issued adrenaline shot if she needed too. Warden training was a hundred times worse than this - physically, any way. Not so much emotionally. Jeera reached out to cup his cheek, forcing his vacant eyes down to hers. "I'm coming with you, okay? I'll handcuff myself to you if I have to."

His mouth twitched with the hint of a smile. Maybe she wasn't as sucky at comforting as she thought she was. "That could get interesting."

"Well, you'll know I'll carry it out if I have to."

"I'm _terrified_." His words dripped with muted sarcasm. But then whatever residue cheerfulness he had just displayed once again disappeared. He dropped his gaze, and moodily slunk towards the front door of his flat. She followed him, once again completely lost what to say or do. Nisha and Kaiden were the ones who would know what to say in this situation - she wasn't.

Wordlessly they pulled on shoes and jackets. When Jeera looked up questioningly up at her boyfriend, suddenly biting her bottom lip apprehensively. "What are we going to tell your family when they ask why I'm there?"

A hint of a smile touched Blake's lips. It didn't reach his eyes. The sadness alone in them made her want to cry or punch something. "We'll tell them it's not relevant."

She found herself nodding, reaching to hook an arm around his waist. But he didn't drape his arm around her in response, like he usually would. Instead he turned into her, taking her face into his warm hands and fastened his mouth to hers in a brief but sweet kiss. When Blake pulled back, his hands still cupping her face, he whispered in a near-broken tone, " _Thank you_."

In response, Jeera smiled shyly up at him. He returned the smile as best as he could, releasing her and wrapping an arm around her. Then there was the shatter of glass as she smashed a Bubbler vial, and together, they stepped through to Woodhaven.

 **So, just for the record, I am planning a fic on how Bleera actually happened. Stay tuned! Xx**


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